Republican Sen. Ted Cruz announced on Monday that he hired a fired staffer from the Republican Study Committee (RSC) as his chief of staff, the Talk Radio News Service reported.
Cruz's new chief of staff, Paul Teller, made headlines in December after he was fired by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) following allegations that he was working on a bipartistan budget deal. The committee also believed Teller was collaborating with third-party conservative groups that don't support specific Republican legislators.
"We all rely on staff, but we have to have the full trust of our staff. Unfortunately, that's no longer the case," Scalise said of Teller's firing.
In a statement, Cruz said Teller would begin work on Jan. 16.
"Paul's many years of experience working in Congress and his tireless work to advance conservative principles make him a tremendous addition to our team," Cruz said. "I look forward to working with him to keep making Texans' voices heard in Washington and to promote a positive policy agenda that will restore economic growth, rein in government overreach and protect American's personal liberties."
Teller also issued a statement expressing his excitement to work with Cruz.
"It is an honor and privilege to work for Sen. Cruz. His leadership is truly motivating, and I can't wait to get started on our collaboration for liberty," Teller said.
Conservative think tank Heritage Action applauded Cruz's decision, saying it "signals his desire to strengthen ties with the conservative grassroots given Teller's years of experience and strong relationship to conservative movement leaders."
According to Sen. Cruz's official website, Teller has worked on Capitol Hill for 14 years. Before working as executive director of the RSC, he held other positions for the committee and was a staff member for the Committee on House Administration under Rep. Bill Thomas.
